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PTO Review
We know them. Here's how they stack up.
These skis span 2 categories (Freeride, All-Mountain Freestyle). Scores reflect each ski's intended use — direct comparison across all dimensions may be misleading.
Koala 103 — the skier who reads the mountain as terrain rather than as pistes — side hits, tree lines, rollers, and a landing at the end of them.. Bent 100 — intermediate and better skiers who value a light, quick, playful ride and drive the ski with finesse rather than muscle.. Check the radar chart below to see where each one wins.
Each row compares all skis on one dimension. 🏆 marks the highest score.
| Dimension | Koala 103 | Bent 100 |
|---|---|---|
| Carving | 5 | 6🏆 |
| Park | 6 | 7🏆 |
| Playfulness | 8 | 9🏆 |
| Forgiveness | 7 | 8🏆 |
| Stability | 7🏆 | 5 |
| Powder | 6🏆 | 6🏆 |
The skier who reads the mountain as terrain rather than as pistes — side hits, tree lines, rollers, and a landing at the end of them. DPS built the Koala around that and says so plainly. It also answers a blunter question well: you want a 103mm resort ski with genuine mass under it, you have read the five-item construction list, and $1,195 against $1,795 is the number deciding your season.
Anyone buying the full DPS parts list. The Carbon Power Plate and the two-species core sit on the pricier families and not on this one, and DPS never says what the shorter list costs you on snow — so that risk is yours, unpriced. Skip it if you are under about 160cm tall or if you like to fine-tune length, because three sizes starting at 168cm is the whole run. Skip it for uphill days: 432 grams per ski over the touring model at the same length and radius is a real tax over several thousand feet, and DPS lists no climbing skin for it on the pages we checked. And skip it if hardpack is where you actually spend your season — DPS does claim it can arc a turn on firm snow, but 103mm underfoot with 40% rocker and no metal layer in the list is not a carving specification.
Intermediate and better skiers who value a light, quick, playful ride and drive the ski with finesse rather than muscle. It rewards people who like to press, slash and ride switch, plus lighter or less aggressive skiers who do not want to fight a heavy ski, and anyone after one do-it-all ski that still floats on a soft day. It also makes a light resort-to-sidecountry option.
Skiers who want a metal ski's hard-snow bite and race-like precision: with a light woodcore and no metal laminate, the Bent 100 handles a groomer but will not match a metal ski's edge hold on firm snow or feel as locked-in on ice. Heavier, aggressive skiers who charge through cut-up crud will feel the light build deflect - a metal all-mountain ski like the Nordica Enforcer 100 tracks that line better. True beginners should skip it too; independent reviews place it at intermediate and up. And if deep powder is the priority, the wider Bent 110 or Chetler 120 is the better tool.
Koala 103 is best for the skier who reads the mountain as terrain rather than as pistes — side hits, tree lines, rollers, and a landing at the end of them. Bent 100 is best for intermediate and better skiers who value a light, quick, playful ride and drive the ski with finesse rather than muscle. The right choice depends on your terrain, ability, and riding style.
DPS Koala 103 has the highest Stability score in this comparison at 7/10. That score compares composure; it does not by itself mean the product is the most versatile choice.
Atomic Bent 100 leads Carving in this comparison with a PTO score of 6/10.
Atomic Bent 100 has the highest Forgiveness score here at 8/10. Forgiveness is one factor in progression, not a claim that every beginner should choose it.
Not sure? Ask us.
